Burial vault



May 10, A. LARKIN BURIAL VAULT Filed May29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l N k12/1 .Za r/h n R .llfwrneys y 1938. D. A. LARKIN 2,116,703

BURIAL VAULT Filed May 29, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 11/1 .Lar/re'nflliforneys Patented May 10, 1938 UNITED T TES PATENT OFFICE nUmAL VAULTDonald A. Lax-kin, Schoolcrait, Mich. -Appllcation May 29, 1931, SerialNo. 145,002

2 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful as hereinafter setforth, a device of this chara 5 acter embodying a novel construction,combination and arrangement of parts whereby the cover may be positivelysecured and sealed in closed position.

Other objects the invention are to provide 10 a burial vault of theaforementioned character which will be comparatively simple inconstruction, strong, durable, highly efllcient and reliable in use,compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of theinvention will become apparent from a study of the followingspecification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawingswherein like characters of reference desig- 2 nate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a burial vault constructed in accordancewith the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation thereof.

' Figure 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that theembodiment of the invention a which has been illustrated comprises aconcrete body which is designated generally by the reference numeral I,said body being molded and including a bottom 2 from which integralwalls 3 rise. The body I is reenforced, as at l.

The walls 3 of the body i are formed to provide enlarged or thickenedtop portions 5 and rising from the outer marginal portions of saidenlarged top portions is an integral flange 8. The flange 6 comprises anenlarged base portion 1. Immediately adjacent the base 1, the flange 6has formed in its inner face a groove Rising from the enlarged topportions 5 of the walls 3 and spaced inwardly from the base I of theflange 6' is an integral rib or tongue 9. The

45 reference numeral I! designates a concrete cover which is adapted torest on top of the walls 3 with its edges in inwardly spaced relation tothe flange i and the base I of said flange, thereby providing a chamberor space for the reception 50 of a securing-and sealing medium ll ofsuitable material, such as concrete. Extending around the edges of thecover It is a groove II. of course, the medium ii enters the grooves 8and II, as illustrated to advantage in Fig. 3 of the as drawings.

The cover it is further provided, in its bottom, with a continuousgroove II for the reception of the tongue 9. The cover in is alsoreenforced, as at ll. The reference numeral l5 designates a plurality ofhandles which are embedded in the 5 cover Iii to facilitate handlingsaid cover.

It will thus be seen that a burial vault has been provided whereby thecover will be permanently secured andsealedin closed position thuspreventing said vault from being opened without 10 destroying or atleast seriously damaging same. It will also be seen that the entrance ofwater, dirt and other foreign matter will be prevented. The cover to islowered into position on the body I after which the securing and sealingmedium ll is poured and allowed to harden. The vault, being ofreenforced concrete, will not collapse with the passage of time, thuspreventing sunken graves. Further, the vault may be readily moved toanother location without disturbing or exposing the body therein.

It is believed that the many advantages of a burial vault constructed inaccordance with the present invention will be readily understood andalthough a preferred embodiment of the device is 5 as illustrated anddescribed, it is to be. understood that changes in the details ofconstruction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may beresorted to which fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A burial vault comprising a bodyincluding a bottom and integral wallsrising from said bottom, said walls including enlarged top portions, anintegral flange rising from the outer marginal $5 portions of saidenlarged top portions, said flange including an enlargedinwardlyextending base portion, said flange having a longitudinallyextending groove in its inner face immediately above the base portion,an integral tongue rising 4 from the enlarged top portions of the wallsin inwardly spaced relation to the base portion of the flange, a covermounted on the enlarged top portlons of the walls and having its edgesspaced inwardly from the flange and the enlarged base portion of saidflange, said cover having a continuous groovearound its edges andfurther having a continuous groove in its bottom for the receptionof thetongue, said cover, in conjunction with the flange and the base portionof said flange. defining an open top chamber for the reception of asecuring and sealing medium, said groove in the edges of the cover beinglocated opposite the upper portion of the flange when the cover isplaced on the body and the sealing material when I placed in the chamberhaving its top surface sloping downwardly and outwardly.from the coverover the top of said flange.

2. A burial vault comprising a body including side walls, a flangerising from the outer marginal portions of the upper edges of said wallsand having a groove in its inner face extending lengthwise of theflange, a cover having a depending rim which rests on the upper edges ofsaid walls with the outer side edge of the cover spa'ced an appreciabledistance from the inner face 01' the flange to form an open top chamber,said outer edge of the cover having a longitudinally extending groovetherein located opposite the upper portion of the flange when the coveris in position on the body and sealing material located in the chamberand filling the grooves, the top of the flange being but slightly spacedbelow the plane 01. the upper edge of the side edge of the cover and thetop surface of the sealing material sloping downwardly and outwardlyfrom said top edge of the side edge of the cover to the outer face 01the flange with a part of the sealing material covering the top 01. theflange.

DONALD A. LARKIN.

